TEHRAN - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden implicitly praised the martyrdom of Imam Hossein (AS) in what appears to be a bid to win the hearts of Muslim voters despite the fact that he, during his tenure as Barak Obama’s vice president, imposed sweeping economic sanctions on a country that is widely known for its love of the Imam.

“As our Muslim friends and neighbors mark the start of the Islamic New Year and honor the sacrifice made during the holy month of Muharram, let us all recommit to standing together in the struggle for compassion, equality, and justice,” Biden said in a tweet on Friday.

Biden didn’t mention Imam Hossein by name, but his mention of “the sacrifice made during the holy month of Muharram” was widely seen as an allusion to the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala on October 10, 680 (Muharram 10, 61 AH).

Biden’s tweet may ring hollow for many Muslim Shiites who remember the days when Biden played a pivotal role in organizing the Obama administration’s efforts to impose economic sanctions on Iran.